Member Avatar for swausa

My laptop overheated, shut down and won't power up, it has a burnt smell. This happened 4 years ago so the burnt smell is gone but it still won't power up and i'm trying to resurrect it if it is worth it, own my own. I already begun the teardown process . compaq presario 700 series cm2130. model #1456VQL1T. I was told by a couple of people that it could be the mother board is toasted. i need help narrowing the possibilties of what is wrong and what is salvageable and where is the best place to buy the parts . i'll do the math on the cost of the parts and decide if i want to retire this laptop or bring it back to life . I will appreciate any help tips ,pointers i can get on what direction to go with this project.
swausa

  • 3 Contributors
  • 4 Replies
  • 126 Views
  • 3 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by forumdude123

Dani AI

Generated

described an overheating laptop that later refused to power on. Overheating plus a burn odor most often points to failed power-delivery parts on the motherboard (fuses, MOSFETs, voltage regulators or caps) or damage to the cooling path that allowed a component to cook. was correct that the motherboard is a likely culprit; is also right to flag cost vs. value — full-board replacement can be more expensive than a used replacement machine.

A practical diagnostic workflow (safe, low-cost checks first):

  1. Confirm the AC adapter voltage with a multimeter and compare it to the adapter label. If the adapter is wrong or fluctuating, replace it before touching the laptop.
  2. Remove battery and try power-on with AC only. Inspect the DC jack and barrel cable for loose pins or burn marks.
  3. Do a careful visual inspection of the board (after unplugging): look for blown capacitors, scorched traces, cracked components or a blown surface-mount fuse. Smell is not reliable after years.
  4. Power the board with minimal parts installed (no HDD, optical, or extras). Look for LED, fan spin, or POST/beep codes. Note: many modern laptop CPUs are BGA-soldered and won’t be user-replaceable.
  5. If comfortable and equipped, measure the main standby rails at service test points (use the service manual for exact locations). Missing rails usually mean a power-circuit failure on the board.

Salvage/value notes:

  • High-value salvage: working hard drive (test in a USB enclosure), RAM sticks, LCD panel (if undamaged), optical drive, wireless card, heatsink/fan. Batteries and swollen cells are hazardous and should be recycled, not reused.
  • Repairs such as replacing blown discrete parts or reflowing BGA chips are specialist work and often temporary.
  • Parts sourcing: used parts marketplaces, local recyclers, and specialist laptop-parts vendors; compare cumulative repair cost to current used/new laptop prices before investing.

Safety/caution: disconnect power and battery before working. Use ESD precautions. If the board shows heavy burn damage or missing rails after adapter and jack check, the practical choice is usually part-out or recycling rather than a full motherboard swap.

Recommended Answers

All 4 Replies

Member Avatar for coolraj003

4 year laptop would not have much value bro but if the mobo s fried u can get the Processor, memory, hard drive, cd/dvd drive(most likely cd drive on 4 yr old lappy though).

I d doubt even if u ll be able to get the parts for it either or use the above said stuff anywhere. U shud have done this long ago (4 years to be precise :-p), but still there is a chance that ur screen might be salvagable, keypad etc.

As far as ur power up is concerned it sounds like ur mobo is a goner. So u ll have to replace that to get it working. Its unlikely that u ll find the exact replacement but alternatives would surely be out there somewhere which might help u to get it back to life again. Then again some or most of the parts may not work with the newer mobo so make sure that everything is compatible hardware wise. Good luck.

Regards
Raj

Member Avatar for swausa

Hey Raj , Thanks for your input. this laptop i bought when i was in spain on the military base in 2002 as far as i know it's all U.S. or made for sale in the U.S. I got rebates on it from U.S. it does have DVD/cd. The parts are available through Impact computers and electronics. http://www.impactcomputers.com/

Member Avatar for coolraj003

If thats the case then i d suggest get it tested for fried motherboard and also make sure that ur battery is usable cos 4 years is awfully long time for a battery to stay alive. You might be needing a new battery, probably the mobo as well if not anything else to get it back to work. And also when u get a new mobo u can also get a few updates if ur budget allows for it. Keep it posted about ur progress dude. Good luck again.

Raj

Member Avatar for forumdude123

My laptop overheated, shut down and won't power up, it has a burnt smell. This happened 4 years ago so the burnt smell is gone but it still won't power up and i'm trying to resurrect it if it is worth it, own my own. I already begun the teardown process . compaq presario 700 series cm2130. model #1456VQL1T. I was told by a couple of people that it could be the mother board is toasted. i need help narrowing the possibilties of what is wrong and what is salvageable and where is the best place to buy the parts . i'll do the math on the cost of the parts and decide if i want to retire this laptop or bring it back to life . I will appreciate any help tips ,pointers i can get on what direction to go with this project.
swausa

Just wondering why are you trying to get a 4 year old notebook to work when it has barely any value. If it used to have a burned smell, then it would cost more to repair/replace and assemble the parts in the old pc than to buy a new notebook.

I found a great new notebook for only 449.99. It is even brand name!! check it out on the website below.

Cheap_lapotp_1.JPG 45.32 KB
Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.